Few winemakers in the Willamette Valley would want to bother with Merlot grown on the other side of the Cascades, but this electrical engineer from Florida enjoys the challenge. The effort here by Chris Barnes is remarkable and expressive with hints of cinnamon toast and nutmeg wafting over flavors of Bing cherry and President plum with bittersweet chocolaty tannins and a sense … [Read more...] about Chris James Cellars 2019 Merlot, Columbia Valley $39
Oregon
Bluebird Hill Cellars 2019 Zenith Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $54
The Shays have collected seven Platinums in the past four years from our panels, and this work with prized Zenith Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills is the first vineyard-designate from beyond the Bluebird Hill estate to go Platinum. It’s a 50/50 clonal blend of Pommard and Dijon 777, and the stunning aromatics take one back to Burgundy with forest floor and delicate red fruit. … [Read more...] about Bluebird Hill Cellars 2019 Zenith Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $54
Spangler Vineyards 2018 Claret, Southern Oregon $29
In the spring of 2018, this former floor trader on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange was awarded Oregon Winery of the Year. That same vintage led to Patrick Spangler’s second Platinum for his Claret program, a historic name for a Bordeaux blend that he’s surprised — and delighted — more winemakers don’t embrace because he’s a standout with it. For this vintage, it’s dominated by … [Read more...] about Spangler Vineyards 2018 Claret, Southern Oregon $29
Reustle Prayer-Rock Vineyards 2020 Estate Selection Hefeabzug Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley $28
Founding winegrower Stephen Reustle entered two vintages of his lees-aged Grüner, and while this is a year older, it came in as one of the most decorated wines of the 2022 Platinum. It’s remarkably lively while the midpalate brings the flavors of cantaloupe and lemon curd from the surlie approach, and there’s still the underlying classic note of white pepper and minerality. … [Read more...] about Reustle Prayer-Rock Vineyards 2020 Estate Selection Hefeabzug Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley $28
Cardwell Hill Cellars 2016 Estate Monet Blocks Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $40
The Chapels purchased the original 20-acre Monet Vineyard in 1999 after a hiking trip to Switzerland, and among the clones they established near Philiomath, Ore., were Pommard and Dijon 777. This bottling is a 50/50 blend of them. Among the aromatics is a sense of the cool morning breeze sliding down the foothills of the nearby Coastal Range, which sets up the palate for a flow … [Read more...] about Cardwell Hill Cellars 2016 Estate Monet Blocks Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $40